Global review finds strong cannabis-use disorder link with major depression, but causality remains unclear

A global review of 55 studies involving over 3.2 million people finds a strong association between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). About 32% of people with CUD also have MDD, and over 10% of people with MDD have CUD, rates higher than in the general population. The authors caution that causality cannot be established and suggest shared risk factors or self-medication may contribute; they call for routine screening in treatment settings and note that while pharmacological options are unclear, psychological therapies show promise. The work was published in The Journal of Psychiatric Research.